Hail Conquering the Heroes
by gussiegal5
Summary: The White Council has ruled over the magical population for centuries. The time has come for their reign to end.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: The White Council has ruled over the magical population for centuries. The time has come for their reign to end. Notes: To make things easier on myself I'm going to address Bob with the masculine pronoun. Bob might be in a woman's body but he definitely thinks of himself as a man. If my historical sexuality course was good for anything it was good for pounding into my head that sex and gender are not the same thing. This doesn't mean of course that Bob isn't willing to use his new er 'gifts' to his best advantage. Branching off of that statement I have a question. Would Bob/Nate be M/M or F/M? Bob thinks of himself as a man, but he's got a woman's body so I put it as F/M just in case it's a case of anatomy.

* * *

Harry had to restrain himself from slouching in the uncomfortable plastic chair that he had been shoved into at the precinct.

He felt ridiculous, the chair was small enough that his knees were tucked in near his head. His wrist was cuffed to the chair next to his and both of them were firmly bolted to the floor.

A glance at the nearby clock on the wall said that it was getting close to eight at night.

Bob leaned nonchalantly against a convenient wall. Handcuff free, damn him, and too amused for his own good.

"Looking a little uncomfortable Boss."

"Shut up. Why aren't you with Marcone?"

"Hendricks called in a small army of guards to help keep him company. I think he's pretty safe. Besides its not everyday I get to see you contorted into a truly awkward position."

Harry glowered at Bob. "I can and will perform an exorcism. You better watch it."

"Pfft" Bob waved a slender hand delicately. "I'm so deeply entrenched it probably wouldn't work. Which reminds me. I'm going to need a raise. Books just aren't going to cut it anymore."

"Fine I'll be sure to pay you in push up bras from now on."

Bob looked down at his chest with a small frown.

"They're not that small."

The sight of his lawyer striding through the doors brought Harry to his feet his braceleted wrist dragging him back into the plastic with an uncomfortable thump.

"Finally! Get me uncuffed."

Thomas' face twisted into a smirk as he caught sight of his half-brother.

"Harry, you know as well as I do that these things take some time. Why aren't you in an interrogation room?"

"They're all filled up apparently." Bob drawled. "Something about a mass drug bust slash sex orgy. Unfortunately I didn't get all of the details."

"And you are?"

"I'm shocked and insulted Tommy. Honestly you'd think I'd be a little more memorable."

"Bob?"

"In the flesh."

"Whose flesh, precisely?"

"Thomas, please."

Thomas' head turned sharply towards his brother at the exhausted tone that had flitted out of the usually sharp mouth.

"How's John? I didn't really get much from your phone call other than your location."

"Awake. Healing. Justine?"

Thomas' smile was small and soft.

"Grumpy. Glowing. I'll go talk to someone about getting you uncuffed."

"Thank you. It's good to see you."

"You too Harry. I'll be right back."

Watching his brother's retreating back, Harry finally let himself relax.

"Such a good decision saving him from the White Court."

"Family. Good family. Is important." Bob agreed quietly.

"A good lawyer's not bad either."

* * *

When Murphy stormed into the small room that Thomas had managed to get Harry released to Harry could practically feel the temperature raise a couple of degrees from the steam coming out of her ears.

"Murphy."

"You bastard."

"Yes, how dare I save your life. What was I thinking?"

Murphy's face was drawn and pale as she tried to assimilate the new knowledge of what Dresden was capable of. The fight that she had witnessed had been something out of a fairy tale.

The original Grimm's fairy tales but still.

"Who were they?"

Dresden's smile wasn't kind.

"An opposing faction."

"So you just killed them all?"

"It was be or be killed Murphy, as I believe you could see. And as much of a monster as you think I am, I at least draw the line at child molestation and murder."

"What proof do you have of that accusation?"

Harry's smirked coldly at the small woman.

"First hand knowledge."

"So this was revenge?"

"So many against little old meis hardly fair odds. I defended myself. Besides I think you'll find that there won't be any bodies to be connected to me."

"I think that man you brought in to pin Marcone's assault on might say differently."

"Morgan won't have a damn thing to say about them. As far as anyone is concerned, they don't exist."

Karen slumped down heavily in the chair across from Dresden searching his face for, something.

"What the hell are you Dresden?"

Dresden's face was smile free as he studied the Lieutenant across from him.

"I don't think you really want to know. Not yet anyways."

* * *

Really. Harry mused. It was completely unfair. John had already been something of a predator among sheep. The newfound power that the ritual had filled him with had pulled him to a whole new level.

The giddy smile that Marcone was trying (and failing) to suppress was the only thing that kept people from steering into traffic to avoid him as he prowled down the street.

Harry could feel the small waves of power that were pooling around John because of his excitement. A power that had previously been completely absent from his aura.

When John had swept into the police station to collect his lover, Harry had felt its rush like a bracing wind on a still day.

Thomas himself had stopped dead and seemed to inhale something vital as well.

Harry tore his eyes from John to look at his brother quizzically.

"Do you realize what you've done?"

The pair was alone in the small room, only the bullet proof glass walls giving them the chance to see John so quickly.

"I saved him."

"You...Harry you've basically made him the next Arthur."

"So what? Now I'm Merlin in the flesh?"

Thomas inhaled sharply before letting it out in a deep sigh.

"You mock me, but you're not far off. You've started something here, whether you've realized it or not."

Shaking his head to bring himself back to the present Harry watched John fondly as the older man slid down the steps and into McAnally's Pub.

Mac was standing behind the bar gently wiping the already gleaming wood down as he watched John with slight interest. His eyes slid over to Harry in brief acknowledgement before he slammed a couple of beers down so that they could grab them before choosing a table.

Harry slid into the chair next to John's letting his side brush against his lovers occasionally. They waited in silence, sipping their respective beers and soaking in each others presence.

They didn't have to wait long. People began to slip in through the doors.

First Thomas, changed into less business like clothes.

Followed by Kincaid.

Hendrick's and Bob slipped in last arguing quietly as they made their way over to the large table.

Everyone had grabbed a beer and paid their tab before sitting down.

War meeting or not, Mac's beer was not something that anyone wanted to miss.

Taking a deep drag from his bottle, Kincaid was the first to speak.

"Well Dresden, you wanted us here what's the plan?"

'Harry's smile was small as he studied the table in front of him, allowing his fingers to brush against Johns bare wrist.

"We're going to destroy the White Council."

"It'll be difficult to get all of the lackey's but I don't know how that'll do much except make the old bastards mad." Thomas said a frown tightening his face. "They've got piles of money stashed away all over the world, hell they live all over the world. There's no way any of us even pooling our resources would have enough pull to do more than piss them off."

Kincaid studied the young wizard in front of him and felt the beginnings of a smile begin to spread across his face.

"You don't want to ruin them. You want to kill them."

It wasn't a question but Harry's nod was an answer anyways.

"If any of you want to leave, I won't hold it against you."

"Hell, Dresden." Kincaid said with a smile. "I'll do this shit for free. Miss Ivy wouldn't have it any other way."

Thomas's face was pulled into a doubtful frown, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Harry studied his brother easily. Watching the thoughts flick across that familiar face.

"Nobody will think less of you for protecting your family Thomas."

Marcone's soft baritone brought Thomas' head around.

"I just can't risk leaving Justine alone. I'll stick around to help you plan this shit show, but that's my limit."

Harry let his loose hand catch Thomas' in an easy grip. He squeezed lightly before relinquishing his brother's hand.

"I understand Thomas. Any help you can provide is more than welcome."

"How the hell are we even going to find the bastards?"

Bob piped up for the first time.

"Tommy said it himself. They live all over the world, there's no way we'll ever be able to figure out where they're all meeting. Not and have enough time to rally the troops so to speak."

"I think I can help with that."

McCoy's voice brought everyone's heads around as they met the calm eyes with open mouthed shock.

"I've got the dates and times for the next three meetings of the White Council."

McCoy threw a folder down on the table in front of Dresden before he turned to leave the bar.

"I'll have a beer before I go Mac. Oh." He turned back around to meet the younger man's eyes for a brief moment. "And Harry, try and remember just how talented Arthur is at warding. There's only so much I can do if you're going to go in half-cocked."

Notes: I went through Wikipedia to refresh my memory of who the council members actually were. Turns out only three of them really deserved to get offed. So in the spirit of this being a darker meaner AU I've decided to change the White Council membership policies. Women are generally not accepted nor are minorities. Ancient Mai is still there because she's a mean powerful little thing that they couldn't really keep out of the Council. In keeping with that Rashid the Gatekeeper, Martha Liberty, and Joseph Listens-to-Wind are not members.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Text

As he paced through his office, picking through the mess that the police had left Marcone wanted to kill someone.

Murphy specifically though he'd settle for whatever investigative team had rampaged through this building. The excuse of looking for his attackers had been all they needed to try and find out everything they could about Marcone. All of his financials had been dug through with a fine tooth comb and then tossed into bins to return them to him in disarray.

If he actually had to re-sort any of the paperwork he would have already flung the smug looking men in uniform that had returned the bins to him out of the window. As it was, some poor intern would be scrabbling to put everything back in order for weeks if not months.

Dresden leaned against the nearest uncluttered wall arms crossed loosely over his chest and a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I don't understand what you're so upset about John. It's not like it was your real financial information."

"It's real enough Harry. It's what is used to do my taxes, which are coming up in less than two months. The blatant disrespect is what's really getting me though. The sheer lack of professionalism that the department is showing me is one of the many reasons that they have completely failed to pin so much as a misdemeanour on me."

"Do you want them to be able to pin anything on you?" Harry arched an eyebrow. "That seems rather counterproductive to our plans."

"Of course I don't, but if they could at least be competent at their jobs I wouldn't have to clean up so many messes when some moron with a dream tries to pull himself up by tearing me apart. I don't know if you've noticed love but we're fairly busy trying to take over the environs surrounding Chicago. I don't have the time to deal with every common criminal. Not yet anyway."

As he ranted John paced the lengths of his office, fury allowing him to turn a blind eye to the turbulence that was rising in the air like a palpable fog.

Crack

The room went dark as all of the lightbulbs in the room blew up at once.

John eyed his lover accusingly without saying a word.

"Don't look at me. That was all you. Seems the ritual is still working perfectly."

"What the Hell do you mean, me? I'm not the one who can jinx a piece of electronic equipment by looking at it a little too hard."

Harry pulled himself away from the wall and edged towards the door.

"Do you remember the ritual at all."

"Vividly."

"Look we were running out of time, and I needed to get you back on your feet as quickly as possible."

"So you..?"

"So I created a ritualistic potion with our blood and bound us together for all eternity."

"And the side effects are?"

"Shared lifespan, we'd basically have to be killed simultaneously."

"And?"

"You'll be able to access and manipulate my magic and we'll both be able to draw on each others memories."

"Why does this sound too good to be true? What else?"

"I've basically turned us into very picky vampires. One's who can only feed on each other. If we're separated for too long we'll both die horribly."

"How long is too long?"

"I'd say two weeks would be really pushing it. But then the ritual wasn't exactly specific.

"So you've made us functionally immortal?"

"Well, immortal might be pushing it but as far as I can tell the last two people who performed this ritual lived for a very long time."

"Who were the last ones?"

"Merlin and King Arthur."

Marcone dropped into his leather chair burying his face into his hands. His shoulders were shaking and Dresden studied him with some alarm before the older man pulled his face up revealing the manic smile that was stretched across his face.

"Jesus Fuck, Harry! We're going to rule the entire God Damn World by the end of this."

"That's the plan love. But first we've got some Councils and Courts to deal with."

Marcone pulled himself towards his desk slapping the power button on his computer with an easy swipe. "Should be easy enough to look up these locations and see which one will do us the most good." "John, I don't think that's..." As soon as Marcone put his fingers down on the keyboard the computer gave a loud angry sounding whir before shutting down with an indignant huff of smoke. Marcone studied the totaled machine in front of him with a blank expression.

"Well this is going to take more getting used to then I expected."

The two men had separated at the office both of them giving the shadows that the afternoon sun shone on the street a wide berth as they headed off to gather their personal forces.

Marcone was still cautious enough that he wanted to avoid using his cellphone until he had gotten a better idea of how to restrain the magic that he was siphoning off of his lover. With Hendricks and the small unit of heavily armed body guards still trailing behind him Marcone felt safe enough to enter one of his many ubiquitous black cars. As soon as he was enclosed in the privacy of the vehicle with Hendrick's he began to snap off orders. Magical powerhouses or not, Marcone had a few mundane ideas to take out at least some of the White Council without having to resort to close combat.

Dresden had kept a steady eye on his lover until the older man disappeared behind tinted bulletproof glass. Turning on his heel he strode off in the opposite direction of the car. He had a couple of fairies that he needed to talk to about dealing with any possible repercussions from the Fairy Courts.

They weren't going to just ignore the power struggle that was currently taking place. Not unless Harry managed to distract them with something a little closer to home.

Stepping into a nearby alley and ensuring that there were no eyes or cameras around he slit a neat hole in the air and stepped into the NeverNever.

The door that he had opened was an old favorite that let him slip easily into the warm meadow of Summer.

The Fairy Courts had never held much respect for the much smaller Dewdrop Fairies. They were a good source of information but the Queens just weren't interested in protecting or assisting anything or anyone that wasn't likely to be of immediate use.

The Fairies were all for long term planning but the Dewdrop Fairies were omnipresent and were given little more regard than firefly's were on Earth.

Harry had never been interested in the sort of power that the Queen's and their courts thrived on. His was a slinking sort of power that slid into place without a single blatant sign only in the last moment before he had utterly destroyed whatever he was after did he show his cards.

The Dewdrop Fairies were in every Season of the Court and he had managed to befriend many of them. Pizza bribes were the very least that he did, though it was a favorite of theirs. His attention and assistance had allowed many of the previously nearly powerless Fairies rise in their ranks.

As soon as he entered the area he was swarmed by a small cloud of tiny bodies each of them watching him eagerly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pretty bauble that thrummed with some sort of minor enchantment.

"I have a task for several Fairies. Each Fairy that helps me will receive one of these. It will allow you to pull a single guise over yourself for twenty minutes. More than enough time to steal whatever you want from whatever hapless Delivery man you might find wandering the streets of Chicago."

The thrumming sound of a hundred rising shouts of glee from tiny throats made Harry smile nastily.

"The only thing I want you to do is whisper to any of the Court Fairies that you've heard that some of Winter's less charming inhabitants are planning to attack the Summer Court within the next couple of days."

Toot Toot fluttered up to Harry, sitting happily enough on the Wizard's shoulder.

"To whom do we tell this to 'Za Lord?"

"Any Fairy who will listen. But remember I need both of the Courts to know that this is going to happen and soon. Who's willing?"

A rousing shout from all of the Dewdrop Fairies made Harry grin happily.

"My word as a Wizard that all Dewdrop Fairies that help will receive one of these bracelets."

The 'bracelet' was actually a child's ring that he had enchanted. The faux gold tone of the metal and the colorful glass rhinestone made the small Fairies oooh eagerly before they flit away from the clearing that Harry had entered into.

There that should hold off the Courts as they tried to figure out who was going to attack without provocation or without permission respectively.

Lovely.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Hail Conquering the Heroes

Chapter: 3/?

Rating: M

Story Warnings: M/M, F/M, Bad language, Violence, Schmoopiness

Relationships: Harry Dresden/John Marcone Bob Luccio/Hendricks

Characters: Harry Dresden, John Marcone, Bob Luccio, Nathan Hendricks, Jared Kincaid, Ebenezer McCoy, Thomas Raith, Justine Raith, Merlin, Ancient Mai, Karen Murphy, OC's

Summary: The White Council has ruled over the magical population for centuries. The time has come for their reign to end.

Part of my Dresden AU Series.

This story comes after Overcome and won't make a lot of sense if you haven't read it.

Harry Dresden was not a man who allowed himself to acknowledge fear.

Acknowledging it was a weakness that he wouldn't tolerate in himself. Even if the only thing between him and a total emotional breakdown (complete with sobbing on the floor and drumming his heels like a toddler) was the idea that people were afraid of him and he wanted to keep it that way thank you very much.

He was a badass.

There was nothing that he needed to be afraid of because no matter what kind of situation he managed to land himself in he was sure to come out on top.

He was...

Oh Shit! Oh Shit! Oh Shit! The plane was taking off. It was going to crash and he'd end up in some vulture's digestive tract.

"Harry, I know flying makes you a little nervous but I need you to calm down."

"I'm fine."

"The fact that you're wheezing makes me doubt you. Just a little bit."

Hendrick's turned in his seat eyeing the younger man with some trepidation from across the aisle. "You're not going to vomit are you?"

"Absolutely not."

Bob's gleeful eyes peeped around the corner from the chair in front of them.

"I don't know Boss. You look a little green to me."

Harry abruptly sat upright in his seat. (He had not been curled into a near fetal position. If anyone said differently they were lying.)

"I'm fine! Why wouldn't I be fine. We're eight thousand feet in the air in a technologically advanced tin can that could short at any fucking minute. I am the picture of mother fucking calm!"

"Relax Harry." Soothed John. "It's only an hour long flight. We'll be there in no time."

"If I had it my way, we'd be on the 5 hour train ride with Kincaid and we'd have the chance to fu..."

"Can I get any of you something to drink?"

Harry eyed the waiting flight attendant with something approaching worship.

"Coke."

"I'm fine thank you." John declined easily.

Thankfully it only took the attendant a couple of moments to scoop out the ice and hand him the cup and the can full of sugar water that would make everything better.

As the stewardess moved on, John allowed one of his eyebrows to lift in delicate disbelief as Harry ignored the cup and started to thirstily sip from the freshly opened can.

"Geez Boss! Slipping off the bandwagon."

"It's been 2 years, 6 months and 3 days since my last Coke. I'll drink as much sugar as I want to."

"In a fruitless attempt to keep us in the air?"

"No. So I can die happy."

Marcone peered out the window at the clouds that swept around them in giant waves.

Saint Louis couldn't get here fast enough.

As Harry swept out of the airport terminal, he determinedly ignored the four men behind him. He was sure all of them were internally sniggering at him and he had no time to spare for the cut to his pride that the thought left him with.

The group of men that Marcone had managed to gather in the short opening they had before the meeting would meet them at the hotel with their luggage. No use scaring the crap out of everybody by making an unnecessarily theatrical entrance.

Harry doubted the Council was keeping an eye on the airport though. The idea of enough magical firepower to do them any harm coming to Saint Louis via airplane would never even cross their minds.

Really they were a shortsighted bunch. The memories of the Council that he hadn't deliberately tried to erase from his mind had been of a bunch of old white men all vying for supremacy.

Supremacy over what apparently depended on which direction the wind was blowing.

One week they'd be huddled together, giving dark glances to Mundanes. The next they'd be trolling through the shallow end of the magical pool looking for anyone that they could consider a viable enough threat.

The Doom of Damocles was visited on anyone that they couldn't find a good enough reason to outright kill. Somehow the person placed under the Doom never lived more than 6 months after that. 'Accidents' happened with disturbing frequency.

Really the lot of them would be nothing more than a bunch of overpowered school yard bullies if it wasn't for one particular member.

Ancient Mai.

She was the only Witch to ever be accepted as a member of the great and powerful White Council. Though rumors flew about whether or not that was actually true.

Female she might be. Harry wasn't so sure about the witch part though. He had seen her throw enough magic around to be sure, but he had looked deeply into her eyes. And seen only the gem colored depths of them.

Even he would hesitate to guess what sort of deal Mai might have made to have the sort of power she did.

The selling of one's own soul seemed a steep price to pay for even the greatest of power.

Stepping out into the late afternoon sun, Harry finally allowed his compatriots to catch up with him. No use getting separated in the mass of people. Harry's eyes nervously scanned the cars that were lined up by drivers expecting friends, family, or cab fare.

John's fingers lightly brushing his back brough Harry's head around abruptly as he startled badly.

"Easy Harry. A Council stupid enough to plan a meeting only hours away from Chicago won't be prepared to deal with men who are willing participants in the 21st centuries excesses."

"That's because none of them are stupid enough to fly in an airplane. They're still using ships to cross the seas and oceans."

"Exactly."

"Mai's smarter than the rest of them. She and Arthur have been slowly taking over the Council for decades. She might be second to the Merlin in rank but he's more of a puppet then he realizes."

"Well she can't be that intelligent love. She made an enemy of you."

Harry shook his head.

"No. She made an ally of Justin Morningway. At the time a sound decision considering the path he was on. I was still a kid. Young, untested, and easily gotten rid of if I started to skew from what she thought I should be."

"She underestimated you then. She will again."

Harry's smile was only the twitch of the right corner of his mouth but John caught it nonetheless.

"Somehow I think it's you she's going to be underestimating this time John."

John's smile was a thing of beauty as he waved his hand towards the waiting limo. Sharks were probably swooning off of some coast at this point.

"What could I possibly do to the White Council, Harry? I'm just a poor little mundane sheep, lost and frightened, completely unable to fend for myself against the big bad wolves of the world."

Harry chuckled low as Gentleman Johnny Marcone ruler in all but name of all of Chicago's illegal trade and business batted his big green eyes at the younger man as he slid into the leather seats of the car.

"That iron K-Bar might do some damage, Grandmother."

John's expression was quizzical.

"Along with those big teeth of yours."

"Buckle up Red Riding Hood we've got a ways to go to get to our hotel."

"Hey!"

"What?"

"I'm at least Lumberjack material." Leaning in close to John's ear Harry finished. "Once we get back from committing mass murder I'll cleave you in two with my immense axe."

John snorted.

"Better be careful swinging that thing. Wouldn't want to accidentally cut down your own wood prematurely."

Bob slammed the door shut as Harry's face quickly began to turn a bright red.

Hendrick's snatched the keys to the limo away from an expressionless driver who wandered away to find his own ride back to his workplace. Bob slid into the passenger side seat after he slammed the door on his still bickering Boss' conversation. Hendrick's was afraid Bob might bloody his own lip from the force with which he was biting it.

"Do I want to know?"

"Probably not."

Hendrick's let it go. He really wanted to encourage Bob's spiritual growth.

And avoid boob jokes. He really didn't want to hear any more boob jokes come out of that sweet little mouth.

The drive continued in silence. All sight and sound cut off from the backseat by the dark window that stayed up between the two couples. Hendrick's started to count down the seconds after they passed the five minute mark.

3...2...1.

"Do you mind if I turn on the radio?"

"Knock yourself out."

Bob leaned forward eagerly, he pushed at the buttons in a rapid staccato trying to keep as much of his power away from the electronic device as possible. It only took him a couple of seconds to find a husky alto and relax back into his seat.

Hendrick's let himself relax a little as well, pleased that he wouldn't have to brace himself against music that was more scream than singing.

"I've never seen Harry so relaxed." Bob's voice was low and Nathan had to fight to hear it over the sound of the radio.

Hendricks' sent in incredulous look in Bob's direction.

"Well I meant after we got off of the airplane. He wasn't wrong. With as much magical power that swirls around us it was a miracle we didn't stop one of the engines."

"We're about to take on the 7 most powerful Wizards in the world with nothing but a small group of mundane ex-soldiers and 3 men of varying magical and supernatural abilities. What the hell is there to be relaxed about?"

"You were there at the hospital."

It wasn't a question so Nathan didn't feel the need to respond to that seeming non sequitur.

"Well I was with Harry trying to figure out a way to bring Marcone back. I've been the closest thing to a friend that Harry has ever had, which I gotta say is a sad state of affairs, but Marcone sparked something in him. Something that the Court the Council and fucking Justin Morningway couldn't touch."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying. Ritual aside, they need each other to stay human. I don't know what alternate universe we landed in that Harry Dresden is actually making puns and telling bad jokes but I like it here and I'd like to stay."

"Why are you trying to convince me that John and Harry is a good thing? I've got no say in the matter and even if I did I'm pleased that John has managed to find someone that doesn't need protecting."

Bob huffed deeply fruitlessly trying to a blow a bang that had come loose from his ponytail out of his face before shoving it behind his ears impatiently.

"That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying...I'm saying now that they have each other maybe you could try and have a life outside of work. You're always on guard. Always working but if they have each other to protect each others backs then maybe you'll...oh fuck it. I've obviously read too many romance novels just forget it."

Hendrick's gently slid the limo to a halt at a red light. He reached over with a hesitant finger and brushed the long hair away from the shoulder that had only a tank top strap to break its' smooth line.

"After the Council is obliterated from this strange universe that you find yourself in. I might be able to ask for a couple of evenings off. We can see where it goes from there."

Bob's smile was blinding as he caught the much larger hand in both of his clasping it for several seconds before releasing it so Nathan could keep both hands on the steering wheel.

"Great."

The rest of the ride passed in silence, and Hendricks' couldn't help but feel as though he was exactly where he was meant to be.

Heavily armed and close enough to protect his oldest and dearest friend. But allowed to have a moment with a beautiful person who had a sense of humor wicked enough to break through his inherent stoicism.

That Bob would probably hurt himself laughing if he heard Hendrick's calling him beautiful was beside the point really.

Harry had always been good at slinking through the shadows. Nearly two decades of experience meant that even with his larger than average frame it would take a keen eye indeed to notice him as he crept closer to the large building that apparently housed the White Council's latest meeting place.

It was fairly typical. Large. Gaudy. Practically unassailable what with the mass of wards that twined around and through the gleaming stone.

Harry clenched his eyes shut tightly for several seconds as he let himself slide into a low crouch. He would need all of the concentration he could garner if he wanted to do this right the first time without alerting any of the nasty looking stone dogs that were circling the borders of the wards.

John towered over him, a darker shadow that he could see through his eyelids. A comforting guard that would give him ample warning if everything went to hell. The low shuffling of multiple pairs of feet was a different sort of comfort.

John had managed to gather a small crew of men who were willing to follow their Boss into dangerous deeps armed only with old school guns and knives that had all been finagled by Harry to stand up to some of the magical backlash that they were sure to be swamped with in the coming battle. The heavy duty kevlar armor had also been marked with several runic markings that Bob had dredged up from somewhere.

They were as safe as it was possible to make them. Meaning not very safe at all. But they all looked as though some sort of Special Force's training had chewed them up and spit them out so Harry was hopeful that they might be able to take down some of the slower to react wizards.

"Remember." Marcone said quietly. "Don't kill them. Just knock them unconscious. We don't want to have to deal with seven different Death Curses. The Merlin and Ancient Mai are to be avoided at all costs, Kincaid, Bob, or Harry will take them on depending on who gets to them first. I don't care what kind of enchantments and wards have been placed in your armor, they'll cut through them too quickly for you to be more than an annoyance to them. Are we clear."

"Sir."

Harry's smile was a nasty one as he looked at the group of mundane soldiers.

"Death Curses are nasty things. You want to be careful about killing anyone with even a speck of magical talent. Thankfully the Council has messed with the heads of their followers enough that they just aren't capable of a lot of the free thought and will necessary to create a Death Curse. So if you see any foot soldiers milling around, kill them quickly and you'll have nothing to worry about."

Relaxing back into position Harry opened up his Sight and let his eyes skim over the network of wards that were latticed over the entire of the building. A tiny pinprick of blood from the tip of his finger was enough to draw a line of protection around himself in case of any magical backlash from messing with such powerful wards.

As he began the low chant that the Grimoire had laid out for him, Harry delved deep into the well of his own magic. He had to mentally restrain himself from jumping at the upwelling of controlled power that leapt at his command.

It would seem that John's iron control and will were already beginning to affect his magic; and for the better. Harry had a feeling that if he tried to do some of the more delicate spellwork that had previously been beyond him he'd have a very different experience.

An interesting thought for another time. The long stream of Latin ended finally with a simple three sentence chant that he repeated three times.

"Accipe. Nos negiligeret. Non hic."

Compared to most of the spells potions Harry had made in his lifetime, this particular spell was far from spectacular.

No explosions or powerful pyrotechnics. The wards didn't so much as flicker in his Sight.

"All right. That should do it. The wards and dogs aren't going to pay us any attention, but if someone catches sight of us at an inopportune moment we're all screwed sideways."

They crossed the street as quickly as possible, foregoing subtlety in favor of speed. Harry held his breath as he slipped through the wards. When the last soldier had stepped through the invisible barrier without setting off any sort of alarms Harry allowed himself a small exhalation of relief.

Three of the stone Foo dogs were patrolling directly in front of them, and though all three paused none of them showed any sign of setting off any alarms.

Even more than the wards, this was the part that had made Harry the most nervous.

The Dogs acknowledged their presence, but ignored the weapons that they were created to sniff out. Whatever magical mumbo jumbo had been present in the nonsense phrases that had made up the body of the spell had apparently worked.

The front doors were monstrosities that had to be at least a 100 years old. There was no way of entering the building with any sort of anonymity or stealth. Thankfully the buildings' side door was easily opened with a simple jinx.

The rubber soled boots that they all wore were quiet on the white marble floors and Harry could see John's sharp eyes digging through the shadows intently looking for any guards. He was as heavily armed as the men that he commanded. Hendrick's and Bob were both kitted out in similar gear, though Bob had commandeered one of Harry's blank cudgel's and, given a couple of hours lead time in the hotel, had carefully carved out crude sigils that glimmered more gold than the sullen flame of Harry's. He had also made several other improvements on the plain wood. Luccio's sword still hung from his hip, gently swinging in it's sheath.

As they neared the large room that had been indicated on the blueprints Harry could hear the low murmur of male voices.

Harry raised a hand to halt the procession before they had turned the corner that would put them in plain sight of the door.

Peering around the corner carefully Dresden took in the challenges ahead of him. This was going to be one of the trickiest parts. The double door was well guarded by a pair of alert looking men.

A gentle grip on his elbow brought Harry's head around and down as he stared at Bob questioningly.

His smile razor blade sharp, Bob hefted his truncheon, whose ends had had heavy iron plating heated with Harry's magic and wrapped around the wood while it was still malleable, and launched himself around the corner before Harry could even open his mouth to argue.

The men hit the ground with twin thuds as Bob used the magical weapon as a blunt instrument. The force of the blows had left concave shatter marks where metal had met bone and won.

Two of the soldiers stepped forward and quickly dragged the two bodies out of the way, leaving them piled carefully in a nearby supply closet.

As they stepped in front of the door, Harry started to gather all of the power he could in his rings and staff, trying to center himself for the battle to come.

He could hear the sound the metal and plastic on leather as guns were drawn from holsters and all of the men around him began to fan out in preparation.

Taking one last deep breath, Harry lifted a heavily booted foot and applied it the door with a smart crack sending the solid wood flying inwards hitting the walls with a crash.

"Fuego!"

Basic Latin translation. Though this is very very bad Latin.

Accipe: Accept Us.

Nos Negiligeret: Ignore us.

Non hic: We are not here.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Hail Conquering the Heroes

Chapter: 4/?

Rating: M

Story Warnings: M/M, F/M, Violence

Relationships: Harry Dresden/John Marcone, Bob Luccio/Hendricks

Characters: Harry Dresden, John Marcone, Bob Luccio, Nathan Hendricks, Jared Kincaid, Ebenezer McCoy, Thomas Raith, Justine Raith, Merlin, Ancient Mai, Karen Murphy, OC's

Summary: The White Council has ruled over the magical population for centuries. The time has come for their reign to end.

Part of my Dresden AU Series.

This story comes after Overcome and won't make a lot of sense if you haven't read it.

(For some reason I was having trouble with tenses this chapter please forgive me.)

* * *

Fire roars into existence. Its light blazing an orangey blue as it blazes through the room, eating everything in its path.

Harry has barely managed to regain his footing when he has to scramble away from a vicious whip of electricity that buzzes imperviously through the flames. The swift dive brings him nearly nose to nose with a hooded man that is currently trussed in front of the frantic Council.

Harry only has a moment to see the quick sharp gasps that are dampening the black cloth as the prisoner struggles for air through the thick material before he has to spin away.

Marcone's men have wasted no time in taking advantage of Harry's spectacular distraction and are efficiently trying to take as many headshots as they can.

The remainder of the gray cloaked wardens that have survived the slaughter that Harry wrought that day at the hospital lack the first groups ferocity and quick reflexes.

They drop like flies.

The Council is a more difficult proposition. They huddle behind the meager protection of the tall table and fling curses as quickly as they can manage. Most of the spells encounter the protection of the rune covered body armor but a few of Marcone's men fell under the onslaught and don't get back up.

Bob bounds past Harry, his short legs a rapid blur and the blade that he swings with deadly accuracy at the electrical whip that the Merlin is currently controlling. The magical metal tore through the electricity and the broken spell whiplashes back towards its creator.

All Arthur does is flick the shattered remnants away with an easy wave of his hand before he flings something into the air.

Harry doesn't even stop to think and swings hard with his staff, turning it into an impromptu bat, swiping the object and hitting it back behind the tall table.

The magical grenade hits the ground with a quiet tinkle before it blows apart spectacularly.

Mai and the Merlin manage to dive over the false protection of the table. The explosion brings three of the remaining men to the floor in pieces.

Four left.

Marcone charges towards Langtry, not giving the older man a chance to regain his footing. The stock of the rifle goes down with a sharp crack as it connects with the Merlin's temple. The most powerful wizard in the world falls to the ground, unconscious, without a sound.

Marcone doesn't even break his stride as he spins on his heels, and bringing the rifle up to his shoulder, quickly pulls the trigger twice bringing both remaining members of the Council down, this time more permanently.

Mai pulls herself free of the tumble that she had been forced to make and regains her feet briefly only to be slammed backwards into the table when Harry releases the kinetic energy in three of the five rings on his right hand.

Snarling Mai tries to return fire, but before she can draw breath to spit out whatever spell she was contemplating Marcone fires again, the bullet hits her in the face and leaves a small crater where one of her eyes used to be.

She doesn't drop.

Mai doesn't hesitate for an instant as she dives towards Harry her snarling mouths, rippling back further and further, petite limits disappearing into a snarling cavern of a muzzle as she rips free of her human skin.

The raging dragon's throat rumbles and Harry can feel his eyes widen in fear as she rears back exposing her serpentine neck for a single stilled moment. Mai thrusts her face forward mouth a gaping maw that has the low glow of flame starting to unfurl in the back of her throat. Harry tries to scramble out of the way but time seems to slow, his gasping inhales are the only thing that breaks through the sudden silence.

Before Harry can brace himself for the pain to come Kincaid drops from the ceiling, the pommel of his sword coming down hard enough to force her head to the floor with a sickening crack as he uses the floor to forcefully snap Mai's mouth closed before any flames can escape.

Mai forces herself to swallow the flames with an undignified snort before she manages to regain her feet.

Blackened scales are draped across her body like so many dead coals,the only place her skin gleams is where blood runs down from her eye socket and from her mouth, although she is corded with muscle she is not the dragon of fantasy. Wingless and no larger than a slender deer Mai's form is far more suited to close combat.

Her remaining golden eye sparking with further fury at being forestalled, Mai growls wetly. Withdrawing bloodied lips reveal a single missing fang. The tooth lays on the marble floor at her feet.

Kincaid lands in a deep crouch and he pulls his clenched fist back to pummel her again when Mai lashes out with a clawed bony hand and knocks the Hellhound backwards over the cowering victim that the Council had arrested.

The boy tumbled sideways as Kincaid fell with a curse, the only sound he makes is a muffled gasp as all of the air is knocked out of his lungs. His hands are tied behind his back and though he scrambles blindly to get out of the way, Kincaid puts both of his boots to the young man's side and slides him away from the center of the action with one great heave.

Hendrick's reaches out to the skidding man and tosses him over towards the small group of soldiers that were protecting their fallen comrades.

He and Bob circle the room around the last conscious member of the Council. Bob snags the Merlin's leather boots and drags him towards in unoccupied corner so that he can keep the old wizard unconscious.

Marcone had given both Bob and Nathan specific orders about the elderly man. He wasn't supposed to die, not yet at least.

Mai's howling exhalation was unstoppable this time and Harry could feel the hellish heat coming from the spout of flame that she blew in his direction.

Marcone dove for him and driving into his knees brought them both down to the floor trying to twist away from the sparks that were raining down on them.

Mai's flame disappears and she lunges forward to pounce on the two supine men. Dresden can feel Marcone's arm tense repeatedly as he pulls the trigger on the rifle again and again.

Each shot hits its mark and is shrugged off like rice on a wedding day. Mai shies away from the bullets letting the dark hide of her shoulders take the blow rather than any of her tender orifices.

Kincaid bounds forward again and Mai is forced to turn away from the two men in order to protect her hindquarters from the whistling blow that the Hellhound nearly lands.

Marcone and Dresden both regain their feet and separate so that Mai has three different moving targets all of them trying to pull her down.

Marcone keeps taking shots, aiming for her bobbing and weaving head. A shriek of pain lets him know that he's made another hit. Mai's head snakes towards him only for Kincaid to land a blow to her right hamstring; the magical blade bites through seemingly impenetrable flesh and lames her.

Left with three useable legs Mai desperately backs up, if she can launch herself off of a wall she might be able to reach the rafters of the large room.

Spinning away from her tormentors Mai makes a doomed leap towards a wall hung tapestry, Kincaid shoulders her away from her escape route and she turns and comes face to face with Harry Dresden's black eyes.

He raises his clenched fist and Mai's remaining eye widens as she sees the bloodied fang that he has in his grip. That single eye goes glazed and milky as Harry drives the point of the fang down between her eyes in as hard a blow as he can muster.

The sharpened point goes through brain and muscle with the same wretched ease and Harry pulls out the wickedly curved fang with a single easy jerk.

Ancient Mai's body has lost all of its grace as she tumbles dead to the marble floor with her scales creating a metallic susurration that slid through the surrounding men's bones with the force of a shovel hitting metal.

When the sound finally quit rattling through their bones a dead silence came over the room, broken only by their panting breaths.

* * *

Marcone studied the wreckage of the once gaudily decorated room.

The fine table lay on its side, wine spreading across the sprawling remains of the white table runner, it's scent lending a fruity aroma to the rising smell of copper.

Five of the seven Council members bodies lay behind the table. Their blood had sprayed across the room in arterial spurts that had left many of the ancient wall hangings dripping crimson.

Stepping towards his men, Marcone looked at the small huddle of bodies that his soldiers were grouped around. Hendricks was waiting patiently for him, arms still cradling his rifle in the ready position.

"How many." Although his voice was quiet, it seemed to echo through the broken silence

"Two, sir. A couple of minor injuries otherwise."

"Get them out of here. Make sure their families are provided for. Any injuries can be taken to the usual doctors."

"And him?" Hendricks gestured towards the still bound and masked man.

Harry strode over.

"Leave him. I'll deal with him in a minute. Bob, what do you think you're doing?"

Bob looked over his shoulder, and over the Merlin's shoulders. His slim frame was carrying the elderly man in a fireman's carry with ease.

"Marcone's got an idea for this one. You'll enjoy it I promise."

"Fine. Keep him unconscious."

Bob smiled as he shrugged the heavy weight off of his shoulders and let the Merlin fall to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Can do Boss."

Marcone gently lead his younger lover away from everything as the soldiers quietly began to fling the Council into a neat pile.

"We're not done you know." The taller man swiped both of his hands down the length of his pants leaving behind a trail of too red blood.

"I know, Harry. We may never be done. The Council's lackeys aren't going to keep coming. I wouldn't be surprised if a new Council was elected in the future. But for now we have removed their threat."

If Harry's sigh was slightly shaky, Marcone refused to comment on it.

"We'll need to gather up Mai's body. There's quite a few potions that need bits and bobs from dragons. All of them useful."

Marcone let one of his eyebrows raise.

"I believe the sight of a dragon, even a dead one, might cause the locals some alarm."

Kincaid wandered up to them easily, his t-shirt had three long tears in it across his chest where Mai's claws had easily sliced through the fabric. The only other sign that she had connected were the slight red lines that were rising up on the Hellhounds skin.

"I can help with that. I know my way around a couple of sewers that'll get to that safehouse you mentioned before."

"And in return?"

Kincaid grinned sunnily.

"In return, I'll need a couple of those teeth. Nothing better for making bone knives then Dragon's teeth."

"Deal."

After the bodies were set alight the room emptied of people very quickly. The smoke and the scent of burning flesh the least of their worries. The wards were beginning to fall and Marcone wasn't willing to trust in the incompetence of the entire Saint Louis Police Department.

* * *

Bob let Langtry's feet fall to the ground with a heavy thump. Then he kicked off both of his sopping wet shoes with a tired sigh. He might have enjoyed his current possession of a body but damned if he didn't miss having a man's bulk at times.

The scent of the sewers still clung to his clothing. Lifting up his tank top, Bob wiped away the spatters of mud and rivulets of water that had covered his face.

"Damn it. Kincaid needs to reconsider what he thinks a safe sewer constitutes."

Hendricks smiled slow and bright as he let go of the elderly wizards shoulders.

"If you hadn't spooked at that mouse you wouldn't have fallen in the muck."

"Fuck you! Mice are small and cute. This was...Blech!" Bob spread his hands apart in a (probably) fabricated estimate of the creatures size before he raised them above his head and waved away Nathan's laughter.

Bob pulled a small syringe from his back pocket and stuck it without hesitation into Langtry's neck.

"There, that should knock him out cold for a good 12 hours, more than enough time for us to drive back to Chicago."

"Do you know why Dresden wants us to take him back, it'd be easier to just deal with him here."

"Dresden's got a reinforced circle that can keep lesser demons contained, even an inordinately strong wizard shouldn't be able to escape from it. He wants to keep him there, while he dreams up the perfect punishment."

Nathan shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around the idea.

"I've never been a big proponent for torture, and I'm not going to start now."

"Don't worry Love." Bob patted the taller red head's cheek gently.

"I doubt Harry will require any assistance beyond carrying the man into his basement."


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Hail Conquering the Heroes

Rating: M

Story Warnings: M/M,Torture, Violence, Homophobic language, References to Child Abuse and Rape.

Relationships: Harry Dresden/John Marcone

Characters: Harry Dresden, John Marcone, Merlin (Arthur Langtry)

Chapter Summary: What's a man to do when he has his rapist completely and utterly within his control?

Part of my Dresden AU Series.

* * *

Arthur Langtry's eyes fluttered open slowly. His knees were pulled up tightly to his chest and when he tried to straighten out his legs they hit a solid wall of magic that sent a zing of pain up from his bare feet.

He could feel the low buzz of magic surrounding him, and looking down at the ground beneath him, Arthur could see the small metal plate set in concrete that he was perched on.

The permanent runic markings set into the metal glowed dully as they powered the wall and restrained his magic.

The circle was large enough that he could sit cross legged or stand comfortably but laying down was out of the question.

The only reason that the wall hadn't jolted his back as he leaned against it was because he had been allowed to keep his undershirt and boxers; the cotton protecting him from the worst of the shock.

Pulling his feet underneath him Langtry clumsily pulled himself to his feet so he could see over the table legs that blocked his view of the rest of the room.

The first thing his eyes focused on was the one remaining dead eye of Ancient Mai the once brilliant color fogged over and dull.

The scale covered skull had been surgically removed from the neck, and no matter where he looked he couldn't see the rest of her.

The long room was filled with tables and shelves all of them covered in ingredients, but the skull had been given pride of place on an empty table the only other items on its surface were knives and a vat that bubbled thickly in long slow churns.

The sound of the door opened brought Arthurs' head around quickly.

Harry Dresden stepped into the room quietly his face was far from the vicious snarling mask that Langtry had briefly seen before all hell had broken loose and he had lost consciousness.

"Ah, Langtry. Awake so soon? Well you always were a tough bastard." Harry stalked towards the small circle, pulling on thick hide gloves of some sort as he did.

"Dresden." Langtry's growl sounded weak to his own ears.

"Don't worry old man. You'll be on this earth for a while longer. I've got special plans for you."

"My Death Curse will leave you too weak to accomplish much."

Dresden's smile was soft and unkind.

"We'll see."

Harry turned away from the old man, his focus sharpening on Mai's skull. He reached out and stroked down the muzzle, wrenching it open against the tightened muscles of rigor mortis.

Three of the largest fangs had already been removed and Arthur could see one of them set aside on another table that held the tools necessary to turn it into a blade.

A sharp crack brought his attention back to what Dresden was doing to the skull.

He had a large pair of plyers in his hand and seemed to be using most of the strength and leverage of his long arms to twist the rest of the teeth out of dragon's gums.

The smaller teeth were tossed into a glass container that was filled with a viscous liquid that roiled around around the bloody teeth, quickly eating the flesh and blood.

Harry plucked them out of the liquid with a pair of tongs and left them to air out on a piece of cloth when the acidic liquid had done its job.

The last remaining large fang was pulled free with a grunt of effort before it was placed next to the other one that was set to become a very poisonous knife.

Cleaning the smaller teeth had probably removed the venom that had been dripping over them for centuries; the blades to be would eat through flesh as much as they would cut through it.

Dresden had to pull the thick leather off quickly and he tossed it into a small iron trash can, leaving them to smoke and smolder as the venom ate through them.

The remaining intact eye was pulled free of its socket with bare hands careful to keep the optic nerve as intact as possible. Harry set aside the dripping globe into a small glass container.

Arthur watched silently as Dresden did the same thing to her tongue, carefully snipping the connective muscles that kept it attached to her mouth before pulling it intact out of the bottom of her skull.

"The fact of the matter is Langtry, I wouldn't mind doing this to you. While the parts of a dragon, carefully portioned can be used to create a fortune's worth of potion ingredients. I'd do this to you as slowly as I could so that you would be conscious for as much of it as possible. Wizard parts aren't quite as valuable but still a worthwhile task."

Dresden picked up the sizeable skull and dumped the remainder of it inside of the large vat of liquid which accepted it without sloshing or slowing its boil.

"You're a monster, Harry."

"I am what you and the Council made of me."

"The Council has always had the good of the magical community in mind."

"But never the good of the individual."

"Virgin's are an integral part of many magic..."

"Rape." Dresden cut through Langtry's words. Turning away from the vat to look in Langtry's direction. "The rape of a virgin is important to many dark arts, though I am thankful that you decided nearly draining me of blood, while it was still from a virgin, was a good idea. After all I didn't have to be conscious for most of that ritual because of blood loss. Everything after that was merely sharing a favored toy amongst cronies."

"Your power was such that it was decided that keeping you restrained magically for any length of time was out of the question, your death curse would have leveled a city block, we had to keep you from the corruption that you no doubt would have gravitated to."

"So the assault and rape of a child was the best option."

"We had to restrain your mind."

"You wanted to break my mind and spirit. Morningway's magical influence as well as the repeated assaults was supposed to twist me into what you wanted. A perfect magical weapon to point at anyone. Cannon fodder."

Langtry snarled, bashing his closed fists against his magical cage, ignoring the wave of pain that the wall retaliated with.

"We would have succeeded if..."

"If Morningway hadn't died and I was legally emancipated and able to escape your influence?"

"Morningway was a fool. That ritual was bound to fail. It was his incompetence that let you become the monster you are now."

"Ritual?" Harry tossed his head back and let loose a belly laugh. "You still think it was a ritual? Hell's Bells you're all morons."

Langtry's eyes widened.

"You killed him."

"Of course I killed him you nitwit."

The vat abruptly ceased to boil and Dresden turned away from the Merlin who was still staring at him with wide eyes.

Reaching into the vat with a pair of large tongs the young wizard pulled the now fleshless skull in two pieces from the liquid which oozed away from the metal and left the bone clean and as white as though it had been bleached.

The only incongruity was the hole that pierced through the top of the skull and the jaw.

"That is a beautiful sight. Wouldn't you say Arthur?"

The toothless skull was still steaming from whatever had eaten the meat and scales and Harry carefully placed it to the side while he quickly cleaned up the table. Leaving it empty except for the two pieces of bone.

"Fortunately I won't have to work on the entire body. Bob seems to enjoy taking it apart, and he certainly knows more about the various potions and poisons that can be made, but I wanted her head."

The door opened quietly the sudden movement bringing Langtry's head around again as he stared in shock at the mundane that had slipped through the entryway without knocking.

"John?" Dresden's smile was real this time as he stepped towards the shorter man.

Marcone stepped towards his lover and gently waved a couple of strips of vellum with strange characters written into them.

"Thankfully Thomas is as good as his word."

"He found both of them then?"

John's head dipped in agreement before he handed the calf skin over to his lover. He turned to face the captured wizard and his gaze lost any gentleness as he studied the older man.

"Will this work?"

Harry studied the strips of ancient words.

"If anything will. It has a sense of poetic justice to it really. The end of the White Council will be the death knell for the Red Court."

Langtry slammed a palm against the glowing runic wall, the wall rippled briefly and the shock of magic sent him to his knees with a moan of pain.

"They'll kill you. You and your mundane fag."

John's eyes lazily tracked over towards the older man.

"I find it unlikely."

Langtry sneered at them.

"What do you think you and your men can accomplish? Bullets won't bring them down and you've got nothing else but your ass to offer."

Harry flicked a finger at the small cage, the runes that covered the magical walls seemed to multiply and then slid down to cover the bottom of the cage.

The elderly man writhed as the sharp stinging pain of the runes became inescapable.

"Harry." John's tone was slightly scolding. Concentrating for a moment he managed to withdraw the excess magic from the cage.

Langtry lay curled tightly as he tried to gasp for air watching the former mundane with bulging eyes as he fought to understand what was going on.

"As I said," Marcone continued. "It shouldn't be too much of a problem."


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Hail Conquering the Heroes

Chapter: 6/6

Rating: M

Story Warnings: Explicit M/M,Torture, Non-Sexual Non-Explicit Breath Control (I don't know what else to call it), Ritualistic Murder/Dismemberment, Brief Blood Drinking, Violence, Homophobic language, References to Child Abuse and Rape.

Relationships: Harry Dresden/John Marcone, Bob Luccio/Nathan Hendricks

Characters: Harry Dresden, John Marcone, Merlin (Arthur Langtry), Bob Luccio, Nathan Hendricks

Chapter Summary: Arthur Langtry gets less than he deserves, but more than he wants.

Part of my Dresden AU Series.

**I'm seriously serious about those warnings. You've all stuck with me for this long but I don't want anyone to say I didn't give them enough warnings and I don't want to upset or trigger anyone. If you want me to be more specific about what the 'torture' is just shoot me a comment requesting more information and I'll gladly provide it.**

* * *

Dresden leaned intently over the ancient vellum, muttering quietly to himself as he translated the ancient Latin into English.

He was surrounded by a small pile of books that he had pulled from the overflowing shelves of his library.

Marcone suppressed a smile as he heard curse words flowing as easily out of his lover's mouth as the Latin.

"Problem love?"

"Several. I'm missing punctuation like you wouldn't believe; and word elisions are a fucking bitch."

"Harry?" Marcone's let his eyebrow furrow as he heard the stressed undertones.

"I'm almost done, it shouldn't take me more than another half an hour. I've got the list of ingredients that we need to create the potion. It's going to be painful but we'll need to start the second ritual as soon as possible after the potion is finished."

"You know I trust your prowess."

"Hmmm."

Harry didn't even seem to notice the dirty purr that had twisted John's words into a crude double entendre. He just hunched even closer and narrowed his eyes to try and bring the blurred and badly spelled words into clearer focus.

Marcone gently pushed the vellum down onto the table and pulled his lover away from the table.

"What's wrong?"

For an instant Marcone thought he'd broken through as Harry tore his eyes free of the Latin and looked him in the eye. The spark of connection broke as suddenly as it had flared and Harry's mouth flattened as he averted his face.

"It's nothing. I need to get this finished."

John sighed, letting his frustration peek out from behind his mask for a bare instant before he pulled away from his much taller lover.

"As you say, Harry. Best of luck."

Harry watched silently as Marcone strode out of the room. He always strode, always had purpose in his stride. Running a frustrated hand through his hair Harry wrenched the too tight hair tie free.

"Fuck."

He stared unseeingly at the partially translated rituals in front of him. Arthur Langtry was a man who could dig underneath his skin and rearrange his sense of self with just a couple of words.

He didn't want to use the old shit for this. His death would be useful and ultimately would lead to a safer and more secure stronghold against opposing forces both magical and mundane.

Harry really just wanted to gut him and watch him bleed out helplessly on the floor.

The thought that his relationship with Marcone was all based on the sick perversion that the Council had inflicted on him over the years had always been floating through his mind. It's vicious little teeth digging in occasionally when he was feeling his happiest.

Langtry's words had dug through his skin, as they always had. Past and present winding around each other inextricably.

Marcone was nothing like the Council. Two consenting adults, no matter the gender, was not a sickness.

He just needed to remember that, because if the Council took this from him as well, Dresden wasn't sure that he'd be able to survive the aftermath.

He was finally happy. Happy with Marcone. Happy with his life, for the most part.

The White Council, the Red Court, and any other assholes that tried, through words or through might, to rip his happiness from him deserved to burn.

* * *

Bob stalked through the door that led down to the laboratory.

Harry had been hunched over a small pile of ratty vellum and Marcone had been stalking towards the master suite muttering about a shower. From the way his usually neatly kept hair had been standing away from his head he likely needed to cool down from whatever fight he had gotten into with his lover.

So with a firm grip on where both of his bosses were Bob thought it was absolutely past time to go and have a 'talk' with Langtry.

After all the ritual needed him alive, with his meat pulsing with enough blood to fill the runes. Losing a pint or two shouldn't negatively affect the bloodletting portion of the upcoming ritual.

Langtry was curled around himself, his thinning hair sodden with sweat as the wards that surrounded him kept the heat his body threw off close to his skin. When he heard light footsteps coming closer Langtry rolled his head off of his pulled up knees and stared blankly at the woman in front of him for a moment.

Eyes widening in recognition Langtry scrambled to his feet.

"Thank God! Get me the fuck out of here Luccio. Who sent you? Was it McCoy?"

Bob smiled brightly, his yellow eyes glowed as he looked up faux demurely through his eyelashes.

"Where _have _you been?"

Langtry recoiled sharply, yelping when his back came into contact with the wards. Each subsequent contact with the magical wall seemed to glow hotter and hotter against his skin.

"Demon."

"You fricking wish."

"Now my Boss is a man who likes to do things for himself. Not afraid to get down and dirty as it were. But I do try and keep him from the filth of humanity as much as possible."

"That little cocksucker is less of a man than any eunuch that walks this earth."

"Just because he has the equipment and doesn't go sticking it in whatever holes are available? That is a talent that you would have done well to emulate Arthur."

"I am the Merlin of the White Council! I'm a better wizard, man, and human than you could ever hope to meet and you should be _groveling _at my feet soulless monster."

Bob gently tapped one of the swirling runes that covered the ward walls. It lit more brightly than its neighbors before dulling.

"So, _former_ Merlin of the _former_ White Council, how well versed are you in runes? Have you kept up? Read the latest _Magic Monthly_?"

Langtry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and fear as he swept his eyes over the darkened rune trying desperately to parse what it's removal meant.

"No?" Bob's smile was mean. "Let me give you a hint. This ward was designed in such a way that everything that is in it, stays in it. What do you think would happen if the rune that allowed for things to enter the ward was turned off?"

Langtry's expression turned pale as he realized it wasn't just terror that was making him short of breath.

"I know you're the very best of the best Merlin. But every fragile little human needs _oxygen_!" Bob chirped happily before his face darkened and he let his long hair sweep down to shadow his face.

"Let's see how long you can go without it."

* * *

Nathan met Bob as he slipped out of Dresden's lab, his eyebrows stretched upwards towards his hairline as he took in the nearly post-orgasmic lethargy that had overtaken Bob's pretty face.

His eyes were at half mast and his hair was in tangles as though he had wound unthinking fingers through it until the normally smooth mane had snarled.

Nathan could feel his breath deepening as he tried to hold back, to restrain himself. If he did anything that Bob didn't like he'd probably end up thrown across the room in several different directions and pieces.

Bob had barely opened his mouth to try and explain before he was backed up against the nearest wall with a thud that knocked the air right out of him.

Nathan towered over Bob, his broad body and looming height covering the spirit in shadow as he bent at the knees so that he could reveal the creamy neck and shoulders to the light once more as he bent over the smaller body.

Nathan nuzzled his face into Bob's slender neck, mouthing gently at the skin before he wandered further down and nipped at the nearly bare shoulder that Bob's tank top did nothing to hide.

Bob's gasp for air turned into a breathy chuckle as he wound his arms around Hendrick's neck standing up on tiptoe so that he could wind his fingers through bright red hair.

"What brought this on?"

"Did you know that Marcone managed to put security cameras in Dresden's laboratory?"

Nathan mumbled the sentence into Bob's shoulder but the spirit heard him clearly.

"So watching me disobey orders while I, mentally and physically, torment child rapists turns you on?"

"I've got this...thing, for powerful people." Nathan pulled away from the smooth patch of skin he had been laving with his tongue so that he could look into Bob's burning jack o' lantern eyes. "Competence is rarer than one might think."

"So you're crushing on Marcone too?"

"Marcone is a man whose willingness to subsume his own desires makes him nearly impossible to consider anything other than a very scary person. Honestly before Dresden I thought he had quietly killed and buried his sex drive completely."

"I think most people would think that I was a 'very scary person' as well."

"You absolutely are."

"But?"

"But, your desires and emotions are front and center 100% of the time and your self-control is only good when it has to be."

Bob's smile was gleeful.

"It's like you know me or something."

Nathan smiled before he slowly slid to his knees rubbing his head into the gentle softness of Bob's flat stomach as he wrapped his arms around the petite waist.

"I don't think I do. Not yet. But I'd really _really _like to."

Bob widened his stance, accepting the heavy head easily against his slim form. He bent over slightly, rounding his shoulders and once again winding his hands into the silky soft hair that caught fire in the sunlight.

"You only want me for my body." The words were soft and amused but Bob let his eyes narrow slightly as he waited for a response.

"Honestly I think you could have possessed anyone and I would have found you attractive."

"But the boobs help."

"Yeah," Nathan laughed low, "The boobs help."

Tightening his fist in the red hair Bob gently pulled Nathan to his feet. Hendrick's allowed himself to be lead, keeping his head slightly bowed easing the pressure on his scalp as Bob tugged him easily down the hall and towards the small suite that Dresden had given to the newly embodied spirit.

* * *

Harry swept into his lab easily, face frozen in an icy mask that warmed and shattered as he caught sight of Arthur Langtry. He threw his head back and let loose a peal of incredulous laughter as he took in the sight in front of him.

Langtry was barely conscious, and as he scrabbled weakly to stay upright Harry could see the burns that had bit deeply into the Merlin's palms and fingertips leaving them bleeding sluggishly where the heat of the wards hadn't seared them to a blackened crust.

At some point the man had lost control of his bladder and the beautiful formal white robes were stained an ugly yellow that had spread rapidly through the fine fabric.

The proud sneering monument that had loomed so heavily over him was collapsed in a pile of flesh and piss brought low before his very eyes. A soft animal moan wavering in and out of existence as though screaming had made anything louder a painful impossibility.

As Harry contemplated the tableau in front of him he let his magic stretch out towards the runic wall to see what he could sense. His smile grew fond as he recognized the familiar tang of Bob's magic and Harry felt a loosening in the invisible chains that had bound his chest so tightly as he had struggled to translate the vellums contents.

This man. This pissing, sniveling, burning pimple on humanity's buttocks was not worth his grief, his terror.

The boogeyman had been dragged into the sunlight and had been revealed to be nothing more than a scab. Easily scrubbed clean and removed, one more blemish removed from the world though the scar would only fade not disappear.

"I see you've met Bob. He's a good fellow to have around, even if he doesn't always obey orders. Though for this particular pleasure I might just have to give him a bonus. Really Arthur, he didn't even touch you so stop whining."

Dresden turned away from the cheering sight and he picked up the heavy satchel and snatched a nearby empty cauldron before disappearing from Langtry's line of sight.

He was gone for only fifteen minutes and Langtry struggled to regain control of himself. He flinched away from the walls of the cage and tried to murmur soft words of healing that would ease the ache of blackened flesh even if it couldn't numb the pain completely.

As his magic flickered out of him in a spotty erratic static a single rune lit up brightly drinking in the ambient magic and stealing away the power to add to the cages own strength.

When Harry came back into sight he had to restrain another laugh before his face tightened back into its previous facade.

Harry strode up to the runic cage, gently pressing his fingertips in a glimmering pattern that shimmered and hummed tunefully as he began to work the sensitive magic as though he were playing in instrument.

The walls that had encircled Langtry tightened and their golden shimmer deepened to a honey brown as they began to sink into the elderly wizards skin burning through his clothing until it had turned to nothing more than ash leaving Langtry bare to the air.

When Harry finished his work, the only evidence of the magic that had cut deeply into pale skin were a few pale runes that caught the light and tightened like scars on the wrinkled flesh and a thin layer of ash that dusted his skin wherever he had been wearing clothing.

The restricting cage made Langtry howl raggedly before he choked himself off as it only increased the pressure. The burning light still sparked and flashed against his flesh in burning waves but he couldn't move, could barely breath, the magic allowing him to take shallow breaths that only pressed his skin more tightly against the painful wall.

Dresden reached down and grabbed the frozen dead weight and pulled Langtry, the slippery magic letting him slide the smaller man easily across the concrete floor, towards a clear space whose only defining feature was the slight slope in the concrete that led down to a drain and a spigot in the wall that had a small hose wound around it in neat loops.

The only out of place item in the barren corner of the room was a small table that held a small empty cauldron which smoked from the heat of the bunsen burner another cauldron that bubbled and roiled with water, and seven different collection pieces.

Harry released his grip on Langtry's collar and let the man fall with a dull thud that had his white head rapping sharply against the cold concrete. He looked down at the felled man and he clenched his right fist. Once. Twice. Three times. Before shifting his weight enough that he could slam the point of his shoe into fragile ribs. Fracturing bone and fiery burns crackled as the skin beneath the clothing began crisping and smoking.

Langtry's breaths became even more labored but his eyes were at half-mast as he reached eagerly towards unconsciousness.

Dresden smiled before snatching up the hose and turning the icy water on full force letting it drench Langtry and bringing him sputtering back to full consciousness against his will.

"Don't you go anywhere Langtry the fun has only just begun."

Harry groped at his throat and ripped down opening up his shirt with a rough hand, ignoring the flying buttons and tearing cloth. The sudden cool air against his skin made him gasp with relief as he panted heavily.

His pupils were blown and Harry wanted nothing more than to take another vicious kick at the mewling maggot in front of him. The only thing that stopped him was the arm that wrapped around his waist gently.

* * *

John scrubbed his short hair dry with a towel, a slightly larger one slung low around his hips. The shower had been less of a thorough cleansing, a ridiculous idea considering the types of fluids he was likely to be splashing around in soon, and more a cool rain that allowed him to ease his temper and rein in his frustration.

Harry had been curling into himself ever since they had returned from Saint Louis. His eyes darting towards Marcones profile when he thought the man wouldn't notice. Something like fear had crept across Dresden's face. Something like love.

Pulling on a silky pair of pajama bottoms, and nothing else, John padded down the carpeted hallway, down the stairs, feet picking up a little more swiftly on cool wood before he eased his way into the laboratory and onto the slight grit of less than smooth concrete.

Harry towered over Langtry's sniveling form, his hair hung in lank sweaty handfuls on his head and his tailored shirt was pulled from his pants and hung raggedly open with missing buttons and slight tears proving the ferocity with which he had loosened its elegant chokehold from around his neck.

He looked madly beautiful. A Hyde erupted from his empty Jekyll shell. Marcone slipped up next to Harry and wound a hand around a slim waist with one hand while the other tugged gently at a clump of hair. The sweet pressure brought Harry's head around and he looked into money green eyes without immediate recognition.

"I think we're just about ready to start love. Have you got the knife?"

The spark of recognition finally lit and Harry grinned sweetly leaning over to swipe a long Chef's knife that had been encased in an intricate leather sheath from the small table that held all of the potions ingredients before he offered it to John on an outstretched palm.

"You once said that you wish you could have killed Morningway."

"I do."

"Well I need your help with this particular potion. I'll add all of the ingredients in a certain order and would truly appreciate your assistance in butchering the sacrifice."

John gently snatched the sturdy blade from the soft palm.

"Don't forget, we need him alive until the last ingredient has been added to the potion. The blood and pieces will stay more magically connected to a living animal than a dead one. Meaning that the potion will be more potent the longer we can keep it alive."

"Let me be your hands Harry. Let me do this for you."

Harry leaned in close and delicately kissed the corner of John's mouth.

"Let's get started."

Harry pulled reluctantly away from John as he sat on the floor cross legged so that he could lean in close over the cauldron.

John tied the sheath of the knife to one of his belt loops letting the knife hang easily from his hip to free up his hand.

Six small objects had been placed in front of the cauldron and John grabbed the first piece, a syringe.

"The base of every potion is a liquid. Any liquid will do, but considering the second portion of the ritual is sex based, semen would be the most apt but I don't think you'll be able to get enough. You'll have to mix it with blood."

Marcone's face deadened as he turned to look at the naked wizard in front of him. With a hard hand he grabbed one of the hairy sacs roughly and stabbed the long needle into the delicate flesh.

Langtry's howl was almost inhuman as John pulled the plunger back until it was filled completely with a frothy mixture of semen, and when the pressure waned, pushed the needle more deeply until dark blood welled up to turn the mixture a pinky red.

When he pulled the needle out of the thin skin more blood immediately welled up from the deep wound and it began to pool inside of the runic wall which kept the blood from hitting the concrete.

Harry pulled the syringe out of John's grip easily his fingers strong and steady as he poured the mixture into the cauldron which hissed and foamed almost immediately.

"I'll need his nose next. For scent."

John grabbed the petri dish which was next in the line before he crouched down next to Langtry's head and unsheathed the razor sharp blade.

"How should I do this? We don't want him drowning on his own blood."

"Tilt his head to the right, there should be enough room that he won't smother."

"Fine."

John leaned close and began to slowly peel Langtry's fleshy nose from his face, careful to steer clear of any cartilage.

The rapid upwelling of blood caused Langtry to gargle helplessly for a moment before John turned his head with a rough grab at his chin and let the blood patter lightly down onto the runes which boiled the blood until it disappeared in a vaporized red steam.

"Might as well do it all at once, we don't want him going into cardiac arrest from the shock. I'll need a pinky finger, all of it, a good chunk of tongue, an eyeball and an ear."

John didn't hesitate and in a couple of seconds a small pile of body parts was arranged in front of Harry so that he could add them one by one to the potion easily."

"The last two are going to be difficult. I need a piece of his brain, I think you can easily scoop some out of his nasal cavity but I'll need to add that and then a piece of his spirit while he's still alive and brain damage tends to kill pretty quickly."

John looked over what was left of the worm in front of him, assimilating the information that Harry had given him quickly enough that he didn't hesitate.

A small spoon that had been pulled out of an Egyptian tomb was swiftly pushed up and into Langtry's brain through the hole in his face where his nose used to be. Rapidly handing it over to Harry, John reached forward and with a single motion of his hand magically gathered Langtry's second to last breath before he flung it into the potion, where it hit with a discernable _shriek _of fear_._

The bubbling roil immediately stilled and the potion changed from a lumpy mass of body parts into a smooth liquid that smelled faintly of rotten bananas and cologne.

Langtry's body relaxed completely and the runic wards recognizing its prisoners death disappeared completely and the blood it had contained hit the ground with a wet _splot _that wound it's way lazily over the water soaked floor before disappearing down the drain at the center of the area.

Neither man noticed.

Harry tossed back the entirety of the potion but let it fizz on his tongue and resisting the urge to swallow.

John tossed the bloody knife into the other cauldron that had boiling water in it to sterilize the blade before he lunged over the table and jabbed his tongue into Harry's mouth. Pushing the thick liquid back and forth between their mouths the two men swallowed the entirety of the potion in a couple of gulps.

As the liquid bubbled like champagne in their bellies Harry quickly snatched up a scalpel and cut a thin line across both of their right wrists.

Marcone's green eyes disappeared behind a rush of blood red color and he quickly latched onto Dresden's offered wrist and began to suckle and lick at the shallow cut.

Harry's eyes showed the same phenomenon and he was just as eager to gulp down the thick liquid from his lovers arm. He let the blood swirl around on his mouth for a moment tasting all of its undertones and flavors as though it was a fine wine before he lost patience and began to lap up any overflow that he had missed at first.

Their cuts tingled and sparked before sealing shut and Harry turned his head and with his tongue turned into a broad flat pad he followed a missed trail of red all the way down to John's pointer finger which he sucked into the heat of his mouth. Letting his tongue swirl suggestively over the digit before he pulled away.

John nearly purred as he ground his hard cock against Harry's blood hot dick and felt an answering erection.

They smiled at each other, white teeth smeared with a bloody film, an instant before their blood began to interact with the potion that they had previously ingested.

John was the first to fall to all fours and then flipped so that his heels and his shoulder blades dug into the hard concrete, a rumbling growl erupting from his throat as he wound his arms around his stomach feeling something begin to stir inside of him that he had only felt on the peripheral of what remained of his soul. For an instant the man disappeared subsumed by a vicious tiger larger than any natural cat could ever hope to be. His claws dug deeply into the concrete, digging up dust and leaving fresh furrows in the hard material before he was a man once more.

Harry threw his head back sharply unable to restrain his howl of pain as his own spirit animal erupted from the corners of his soul and bounded onto the physical plane for a brief moment. Dark brown nearly black fur hung off of the wolf and his fangs were almost too large for his mouth and he bared them in a heavy snarl before he collapsed onto the ground once again inside of his own skin.

The pain the brief transformations had spread over their bodies hadn't been enough to dull their heavy erections and John dragged himself until he could drape over Harry's broad body. He let his legs spread until he was straddling Harry's slim hips and he pushed down hard on the erect cock the lube that he had used to loosen himself in the shower letting him sit down completely on the impressive prick in one smooth thrust.

John leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Harry's neck while the taller man wrapped his arms low on John's back and held his ass firmly against his pelvic bone.

Neither of them moved for many long moments, John savored the unaccustomed fullness and fought with himself until he was completely relaxed. Harry's hips were making little aborted thrusts and each nudge gave John's prostate a glancing stroke.

John orgasmed first, and he pushed down hard even as he felt his hole tighten and loosen spasmodically as it tried to pull Harry's cum from him.

It only took a couple of sucking pulls for Harry to lose control of himself and his upwards thrust brought his buttocks off of the concrete and lifted John completely for several seconds.

They collapsed in a tangle of limbs, skins smeared with blood, cum, and sweat. The lovers whispered soft words to each other as they stared into eyes that had returned to their normal respective colors.

Neither of them paid any attention to the sound of dripping liquid and the scent of a recently dead animal.

It wasn't important anymore anyways.

The past was done with, there was only the future to look forward to.

_Fin_

A/N I'm super sorry about the formatting problems, but it's late and I don't feel like putting in every paragraph space that got cut for some reason. I might fix it later...maybe.


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